On The Road

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE HAT

Nepal is to designers and culture buffs what Disneyland is to young kids: an avalanche of eye candies.

No further than the airport arrival lounge you get your first treat: distinguished looking immigration officers wearing a cool colourful hat called “dhaka topi” (dhaka hat).

Considered by Nepalese as a source of pride, this hat is very much attached to the culture and is widely worn by government employees. It is made of a fabric called dhaka, which is so called because the design of the print can be traced to a traditional weaving and design style originating in Bangladesh Dhaka.

As for us, we thought dhaka fabric could be applied to many more designs than just hats. So we went hunting for a nice selection and applied them to our Nepalese collection blazer, tops, cushions and other designs…. and we are loving it.

Dhaka fabric on the weaving looms during our visit to the manufacturer in Kathmandu’s outskirts.